Five for Friday

I'm linking up with Doodle Bugs Teaching for Five for Friday... on Saturday!

ONE: Oobleck

March came too quickly this year and it kind of slipped my mind last week that we should have celebrated Dr. Suess.  So this week we celebrated Dr. Seuss by reading several of his books.  Perhaps the most popular book this week was Bartholomew and the Oobleck.  My kiddos loved listening to the story and then writing about what the king learned.  That afternoon we created our own oobleck to take home... it was definitely a big hit!!  

TWO: Writing Workshop
My kiddos did a great job this week revising and then editing their pieces to publish in writing workshop.  I've always struggled with editing lessons but this year it really clicked with my kiddos.  They were so motivated to make their pieces the best they could be and they really wanted to help their buddies with their pieces as well.  I love to see the kids working so well together and I'm looking forward to reading their published pieces this week!!

 THREE: Work Work
This week I introduced scrabble spelling and I needed some scrabble tiles.  Last year I used Scrabble Cheez Its, but it was so messy I wanted to use the regular tiles this year.  I randomly found a very old scrabble game in one of my back closets and jackpot... I found both the wooden tiles as well as cardboard letter tiles!!  The kids loved building our spelling words and then using them in a sentence.  I've noticed how well my students are writing in sentences and I'm sure it's in large part to all the practice they get during our daily 5 time.  

 FOUR: Place Value Workmats

This week we took a short break from our addition and subtraction practice to do some place value work.  Determining ten more and ten less can be very tricky for some kiddos so I created these workmats that got a ton of use this week.  I like to have the kids build the numbers and then determine the ten more and ten less numbers.  I think seeing the number in front of them helps them with this skill and in the end makes this skill more automatic.  

FIVE: Fluency Strips

I began new RTI groups this week after I finally finished report card assessments last week.  I have a few kiddos that need to work on their reading fluency.  They tend to read word by word and aren't confident in their word reading so they tend to sound out every word.  My kiddos loved reading these fluency strips and it's a great activity a few kids can work on together each day during our RTI time.   

Have a great weekend.. Don't forget to check out Doodle Bugs Teaching for more Five for Friday posts!  

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Five for Friday... On Saturday again!!

I'm linking up with Doodle Bugs Teaching for Five for Friday... on Saturday!

I can't seem to get these posts up on Friday night!!  Here are some highlights from our week... it was another long one!!

ONE: Morning Work

After reading Brown Bag Teacher's post on her morning tubs I was intrigued!  We rarely get free choice time during our week and I thought this would be a perfect opportunity for my kids to play games, work on some fine motor skills, and learn to work together,  I decided to do it three days a week and the kids LOVE it!  They're motivated to unpack and make a selection and they are truly learning how to work together.  I've decided to change the tubs every two weeks so it's a little less prep for me on a weekly basis.  

TWO: March Math

This week during our math rotations we took out our March math tub games.  I was going to wait another week but with Easter being so close to St. Patrick's Day, I took out all the March themed tubs and problem solving printables.    

THREE: Contractions

Last week we reviewed contractions by matching cards together. This week we stepped up our game a bit.  I had my kiddos take two words and write a contraction with those words on a post it.  Then they needed to sort the word on the board.  My kiddos this year are getting contractions and they are understanding what letters to replace with the apostrophe.  

 FOUR: Vocabulary
As part of our weekly ELA curriculum we have "Amazing Words" that we introduce and use in a poem/song.  This year we've been introducing the amazing words on Monday. We define the words, act them out, use them in a sentence, and then sing them in a song.  The acting out of the words has really transformed this time as it gets the kids moving and really helps them to internalize the words.  By Thursday we each get our own version of the poem that we read and highlight amazing words in.  It's amazing to me how the kids remember these words weeks later when they find them in other texts.  Usually they act out the word when they find it and this tells me the acting out is a great edition to our word study time.  

  To ensure we're practicing and attempting to use these words each day of the week, I created this tree where we collect our amazing words.  The bananas play off the monkeys I have hanging in my Jungle themed classroom and the kids love adding the words each week.  

FIVE: Math Manipulatives

I may have a slight obsession with math manipulatives.  The Target dollar spot gets me every time... much to the dismay of the Mr.!!  This is just a sampling of what I have for the spring!!

Have a great weekend.. Don't forget to check out Doodle Bugs Teaching for more Five for Friday posts!  

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Five for Friday... on Saturday

I'm linking up with Doodle Bugs Teaching for Five for Friday... on Saturday!

Here are some highlights from our first week back from winter break... it was a long one!!

ONE: Sound Unit

We finally finished our unit on sound this week.  I decided to dive right into the NGSS standards even though New York state has not adopted the standards yet... I know they're coming and wanted to get a head start.  As I looked at the standards I thought sound would be a hard topic for the kiddos to understand but they rose to the challenge and they enjoyed learning about sound.  

To finish the unit I let my kiddos create their own instruments.  I was so impressed with their ideas as well as how they worked together to build and problem solve some issues that arose as they created these amazing instruments. 

TWO: Making 10

This week we reviewed how to make ten when adding and subtracting.  When I first looked at this strategy I really questioned whether it made sense to introduce it.  I thought maybe it would be more confusing than helpful.  This week was confirmation that it's a worthy strategy... my kiddos really "got it" and have begun to apply it independently.  I love our math block because it's an opportunity for the kiddos to use different strategies.  I love learning how there little minds work as they explain to me and their math buddy how they solved a problem.  

I found that using these double ten frames to model making 10 when adding 8 and 9 really drove the point home.  Once the kids moved the manipulatives  they made the connection to this strategy.  

THREE: Contractions

A few week ago we introduced contractions and we did some word surgery that week to help my kiddos work with contractions.  This week I wanted to add in a bit a review so we broke out these broken heart contractions.  Last year we reviewed contractions the week before Valentine's Day so the broken heart theme worked but the kids loved the game none the less.  I gave each of my kids a piece of a heart and had them circulate around the room to find their buddy.  The only rule I gave them was they couldn't talk... this was a challenge for some!!  We played a few times and they've been begging  to play more so I'll think I'll add the cards to our pocket chart next week.  

 FOUR: Superhero Day

Yesterday was superhero day at our school.  We had a ton of kids dressed up as superheros and princesses in our classrooms.  When my kiddos arrived yesterday I didn't have my costume on yet and one of my kiddos told me it was ok because teachers are superheros everyday... not sure where he heard that, but it was a sweet thing to say!  

Anyway, after our early morning special I got a chance to wear my Super E cape and mask.  I introduced the cape a few weeks ago when we started super e but the kiddos were excited to see it reappear this week!  It also served as a good long vowel review... after doing some report card assessments this week we definitely could use the review!!

FIVE: Vanilla Latte

So I love Starbucks Vanilla Latte but it pains me to spend $5 on a coffee drink.  For $5 I can get 2 medium coffees at Dunkin Donuts so it's a huge treat to stop and get a latte at Starbucks.  Last week at the grocery store I found these Starbucks Via Instant Vanilla Latte packs and I'm impressed.  Just 8 oz. of hot water, pour in the packet, and you've got yourself a vanilla latte.  Not as good as a latte from Starbucks but pretty close.  Best part is it's easy to make at school and I don't need to worry about having sugar and creamer available.  

Have a great weekend.. Don't forget to check out Doodle Bugs Teaching for more Five for Friday posts!  

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Peek at my Week: October 5th

I'm linking up with Mrs. Wills Kindergarten for a Peek at My Week! Just checking in with a few highlights for our upcoming week!

Click on my plans for more details and hyperlinks.

Our reading program begins with a review of letter and short vowel sounds so we spent much of the month of September working on kindergarten skills.  This works well because it frees up some time to get procedures and routines in place for the rest of the year .

 This week we'll finally begin our formal spelling program and we'll begin with the short a pattern.  To introduce each spelling word I will say the word, then the kids will say it, clap it, figure out the number of syllables and then use it in a sentence.   Then as a class we'll stretch out the words to hear all the sounds and then record each word on a spelling recording sheet. 

I like to have the kids work with the sounds and then use the spelling pattern to spell the  words because they can see how to use letter sounds and patterns to spell these words not only for the test on Friday but in their daily writing as well.  

 For our word work station this week the kids will use magnets and a recording sheet like they've been using the past few weeks.  

The kids will also get to build short a words with these clothespins.  In previous weeks the kids have had to read a word and the build it.  This week I want them to have a bit of a challenge at the word work station.  This activity requires the kids to use their knowledge of letter sounds and the short a pattern to help them spell these words and then record the words on the page.  

Set up for this station is quite easy... all I did was write letters on the end of clothespins.  Then I placed the pins in this organizer I picked up at Lowe's and the kids have access to all the letters they will need to build these words.

  
We'll continue to use this work station rotation board.  It worked  well last week and the kids were bummed when we didn't get to do all three rotations.  They keep telling me how much they LOVE rotations.  My teacher heart is so happy!  I think they're loving the ability to pick what they want to work on at each station.  I also think they love to use what they view as "teacher supplies" at these stations.  Can't wait to see what this week brings.  

In math this week we'll be working with different ways to make numbers.  This hula hoop will be used to help us understand the commutative property.  I began this concept on Friday when I flipped the hoop and the sum didn't change.  The kids were so excited to see this and it really helped them to "get it".  I'm hoping that using it again this week will help them to really understand and apply the commutative property.  

This week we'll also have a fire safety presentation on Friday and to go along with the presentation we'll read a Scholastic News that includes fire safety tips.  After the presentation and reading the Scholastic News we'll complete this worksheet where the kids can write about one fire safety tip they learned throughout the day.  Then they'll color their hat and I'll use the hats to create a fire safety bulletin board in our hallway.  I can't wait to see how it turns out!

Have  a great week!!

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Five for Friday: October 2nd

I'm linking up with Doodle Bugs Teaching for Five for 
Friday. 
  

Here are some highlights from our week! 

ONE: Reading Workshop Assessments
After reading the Literacy Teacher's Playbook by Jennifer Serravallo I was inspired to use a reading interest inventory with my kiddos this year.  I finally finished the inventory this week and I'm so glad I did it.  I learned some great information from my kids that I wouldn't have otherwise known.  This will help me as we move forward during our reading workshop time and as I begin planning my small group lessons.  

Please excuse the terrible handwriting... just wanted to jot notes as quickly as possible to get these done!  This kiddo LOVES scary books and movies... a kid after my own heart.  I never would have guessed she was into scary "stuff"!

TWO: Word Work Station

During our word work station this week my kiddos built short e and short u words using magnets.  After they built the words I had them record the words using crayons (red and blue) to match the magnets.  Such a great way to show the kids the difference between the consonants and vowels in each of these CVC words.  

    THREE: Word Families

We've been working with word families since the beginning of the year.  Each week we have used a different format to build and write these words.  I wanted my kids to have different kinds of practice with word families so they would be ready to use these materials at the word work station. 

This week we've been studying apples so we wrote words on apples on our Promethean Board.  The kids got a kick out of this scene.  

FOUR: Interactive ELA Notebooks 

This week we really got into our interactive ELA notebooks. On the right hand side of the notebook I introduce a new skill or new words.  On the left side the kids use what they learned to apply the skill or use the words in sentences.  We've been taking this really slow so that in the coming weeks the kids will be able to do this on their own.  

Five: Assessments

I'm almost done with my September assessments... I know it's October but it's only October 2nd so I just missed my self-imposed deadline!  This week I got almost all my running records completed.  I also finished up some math assessments as well as a spelling inventory.  I love looking at the results of the spelling inventory and beginning sounds assessment.  All these assessments give me a sense of where my kids are and helps me to plan word work, reading and math activities for the whole class as well as individual students.

My goal for this weekend is to really take a close look at all the assessments to help me "get to know" my learners to best meet their needs in the coming weeks.  I also want to begin planning some intervention activities for some of the Kindergarten skills my kiddos need some additional practice with.  

Have a great weekend.  Don't forget to visit Doodle Bugs Teaching!

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Peek at My Week: Short Vowels and Apples

I'm linking up with Mrs. Wills Kindergarten for a Peek at My Week! It's our second full week of school and we have a ton to do!

Click on my plans for more details and hyperlinks.

This week we're working on the short o and short i sounds.  We've been practicing different word work options and we'll continue that this week.  The kids are doing a great job using word work materials and I think we're real close to being able to begin our workstation rotations... I can't wait.  

  During word work my kids will be building words using magnet letters.  The kids have been reading the short vowel words and then building them with magnets.  Last week we worked on these short a words.  I'll have the kids continue to use these and add in the short i and short o words.  

This week I also want to introduce the pictures and have the kids build the words using the short vowel patterns they are learning. 

   

In math this week we'll be learning about addition and we'll focus on different ways to make 6, 7, and 8.  We began this last week and the kids did a great job using manipulatives to model the different ways to build numbers.  

During our Read to Self time the kids increased their stamina on Friday to TEN minutes!  I was so happy and proud of them.  They have really embraced the idea of reading in book nooks to "get better at reading" and they are truly enjoying it.  Can't wait to see what this week brings!

I'm loving these stair treads I picked up at a local hardware store.  They're big enough for the kids to sit on in their book nooks but small enough to store away and have the kids grab them when they're needed!

We began learning about apples last week and the kids are excited to begin reading some non-fiction books about apples.  I put these apple/fall books out at the end of the day on Friday and several kids couldn't wait to read them this week.   

This week we'll be working on finding facts in these non-fiction books.  We'll talk about the purpose of non-fiction books as well as the difference between facts and opinions.  Then I'll have my kids complete this worksheet to highlight one fact they learned about apples this week.  

Have  a great week!!

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